Vehicle-top.



s. L. WILSON.

VEHICLE TOP. 7 APPLICATION FILED APR. 28,1917. RENEWED NOV. 1.1918- Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

awuamtoi SCOTTLWI LSON S. LA WILSON. VEHICL E TOP. APPLICATION FILED AFR. 28.1917. RENEWED NOV. I, I918.

1,290,457. Patented Jan. 7,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- 1 Y M I i 1' I m I r 1O 2O x 19 M 15* 11 18 as 21 7 I? 7 vwamtoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SCOTT L. WILSON, OF BEDDING, IOWA.

VEHICLE-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1917, Serial No. 165,161. Renewed November 1, 1918. Serial No. 260,721.

To all wkomit may concern:

Be it known that I, Soorr L. WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Redding, in the county of Ringgold and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in vehicle tops and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character especially designed and adapted for use in connection wlth automobiles or the like; and it is an object of the invention to provide novel and improved means whereby the top can readily and conveniently be lifted or elevated into Operative position.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved vehicle top whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating an embodiment of my invention in applied position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in top plan of the device as shown in Fig.1 with portions broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line H of Fig. 1 and illustrating a connection between a vertically disposed tubular member and the adjacent portion of a wind shield as herein embodied;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary V1BW" partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating certain features of the elevating mechanism as herein included; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view partly in top plan and partly in section of the struc-; ture illustrated in Fig. 7, the top or cover of the drum housing being omitted.

As herein embodied, B denotes a Vehicle body of any preferred type and which has pivotally engaged therewith, as at 1, the base 2 coacting in a conventional manner with the flexible top T. The rear edge of the top T is suitably secured, as indicated at 3, to the rear portion of the body B, while the forward or free end of said top T is provided with the transversely disposed bar 4 provided at its opposite ends with the forwardly directed extensions 6 suitably engaged with the top T for a purpose which is belived to be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains.

Suitably positioned within the body B is a housing H having in communication therewith at its forward end the tubular members M. The members M are provided adjacent the dash D of the body B with the oppositely directed lateral extensions 7 which are continued by the rearwardly and upwardly inclined portions 8 extending exteriorly of the body B through the sides thereof and terminating in the upstanding vertical members 9 arranged in transverse alinement with the wind shield W or the like. Each of the members 9 is connected to the adjacent portion of the wind shield W through the medium of the clamps C, as particularly illustrated inFigs. 1, 2 and 4 and whereby the members 9 are effectively maintained in requisite position.

Rotatably mounted within the housing H and disposed transversely thereof is a drum 10 around which is adapted to be wound the flexible members 11'. A flexible member 11 is directed through each of the tubular members M and has its outer or free end provided with a fastening member 12 preferably of a hook type, which is adapted to be detachably connected with an eye member 14: or the like carried by an end portion of the bar 4:.

When the top T is in lowered position the hooks 12 are engaged with the eye members 14 and upon requisite rotation being imparted to the drum 10 the top T will be elevated to applied position as indicated in Fig. 1. In order to eliminate friction at the bends of the members M I find it of advantage to rotatably mount at each of the bends of the members M an idle pulley 15 Patented Jan. *7, 1919.

i ,the accompanying drawings;

over which a flexible member 11 is passed, as is partlcularly illustrated in Fig. 8 of The drum 10 is fixed to a shaft 16 hav ing one end the housing H and aflixed to said extended portion of a shaft 16 is an operating member 17 herein shown as a conventional hand crank, whereby the requisite rotation may be imparted to the drum10. The extended portion of the shaft 16-hasalso fixed'thcreto the toothedwheel 18 with which coacts a dog 19 pivotally'engaged with the housing Hat a point above the wheel 18. The dog 19coacts with the wheel 18 to hold the shaft 1'6 againstretrograde movement and;

alsoto maintain the top T in' elevated position'. When the topv TV is'elevated into ap-. plied position the detent 20- pivotally en-- end-522 of the dog 23 is constantly urgedto- 'ward the Wheel 21 through the inedium of the expansible member 24' herein disclosed as a conventional coil spring interposed be tween the dogf23 and a-lug 25 extending-outwardly from the adjacent side of the housingH. p

When it is desired to lower the top T-the dog-rl9 is thrown upwardly outof-engagement with the wheel-l8 so that the'top T maybe lowered by gravity. The dog 23 coactswiththe wheel 2l to impose suflicient tension upon the members 11'to prevent'too rapid loveringof the top T which otherwise would tendto-injure .certainof the parts. 7

The upper ends of the members 9 are closed and each Closed end is provided. with an opening-.01" slot 26 through which a member 11 passes, and supported withinthe upper end of the 'member 9 and extending within said, opening or .slot 26' is an. idle pulley '27 over which the member 11 passes,- as. isparticularly illustrated'in Fig. 5.

Axside wall ofeach of the members 9 im- 2 mediat'ely adjacent the pulley 27 is provided portion extending exteriorly of with a hinged door 28. After the top T has been lowered and the hooks 12 disengaged from the bar 4 the doors 28 are open and the hooks 12 engaged with the members 11 below the pulleys 27 so that the hooks l2 and the members 11 will be substantially entirely concealed when the doors 28 are returned to closed position. 7

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a vehicle top constructed in accordance with my inw'ention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled,'and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the severalparts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

The combination'with a vehicle body, of a top swingedly mounted on the body for movement in a vertical plane, a housing positioned within the body, tubular guideways in communication with the body and terminating in upstanding portions arranged at opposite sides of the body, a winding mechanism arranged within the housing, flexible members engaged with said Winding mechanism and disposed through the tubular guides, rollers arranged in the upper extremities of the tubular guides over which the flexible members are directed, hook members carried by the outer extremities of the flexible members and detachably engageable with the top, and a door carried by the upper end portion of each of the tubular guides to afford means whereby the hook members or the adjacent flexible members may be engaged withthe portion of said flexible member below the rope.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

O. L. FULLERTON, V W C. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentn,

Washington, D. G." 

